Agile Species Template
Every fantasy world with sentient creatures other than humans has at least one species of humanoid that moves faster than other bipeds, though their swiftness may come at the cost of physical strength. These species are often descended from prey animals, which tend to be skiddish and unfriendly. In other table top games, this template might represent races such as halflings that rely on stealth to evade enemies. Characteristics Agile Species have the following adjustments to their Base Characteristics: * Agility: +3. Maximum cap: +6 to Agility cap. ** This race is supposed to be faster than other races, and therefore their maximum threshold for speed is going to be higher. * Strength: -3. Maximum cap: -6 to Strength cap. ** This species relies so much on escaping enemies rather than fighting them that they're more frail and physically inferior as a result. Therefore, their maximum strength threshold is going to be lower. Skills Skill Bonuses: +1d6 Perception. * This species has to be observant to pick out potential predators, so they're naturally more aware of their surroundings. Skill Penalties: -1d6 Deduction. * This species is so cautious around other creatures that their policy is to run first and assume they're always in danger. Therefore, they're going to be terrible at judging at whether another person actually means harm to them or not. Suggested Abilities Agile Species aren't going to rely on Strength as their primary source of damage for melee attacks, so front-line fighters should invest in a high Dexterity to make hard-hitting martial arts techniques. Jump, Run, and Swim will improve the creature's already impressive movement rates, and Extra Limbs will also boost their Sprint speeds or other forms of movement. Ecology Physical Description Aside from being smaller than humans, Agile Species are going to have bodily features that make them more suited to running. Their legs are going to be more deer or rabbit like, and their torso might be more hunched over so the creature can run on all-fours if need be. Their eyes are going to be further spread apart to increase their range of vision, while their heads in general are going to have a wider bridge between the nose and forehead to further separate the eyes. * Height Range: Shorter creatures like rabbits and small deer are swifter than larger beasts like buffalo or elephants, and so too is this race shorter than the average human. The average male would stand around 4 feet, 10 inches tall, or 1.47 meters; females tend to be around the same size as males for these types of smaller prey animals, so there isn't any significant difference in the height for the race this Agile Species is supposed to represent. The shortest these creatures would be in adulthood would be around 4 feet, 2 inches, while the tallest stand at 5 feet, 4 inches. * Weight Range: A healthy weight range for a 4'10" adult human male ranges between 87 and 122 pounds (or between 39 and 55 kilograms). Since women with the Agile Species template will average around the same mass, this weight range is the same for them. The lightest these species are going to be is 65 pounds (30 kilograms) for shorter individuals, while the tallest will max out at 140 lb (63 kg) while still being considered healthy. Habitat Creatures made to run fair best on open plains with few trees to get in their way and no sand to disrupt their footing, making them most likely to congregate in prairies and hilly plains. Organization Being cautious of other creatures, Agile Species are going to live in small, closely knit, and xenophobic communities. Their civilization's internal structure might be loose with few rules and an open social hierarchy, but they are going to maintain a strictly regulated watch to keep an eye out for enemies. Agile Species are likely to believe large communities attract more enemies, so they're not going to keep much contact with others of their kind. The ideal civilization for Agile Species would look like a Jeffersonian, agrarian state with little government and very basic technology. Behavior Ever cautious, Agile Species are prone to making traps and setting up watches to alert them when potential danger is near. Preferring to stay in isolated communities and lacking the strength to carry off prey to their homes, these species are likely vegetarian, farming most of their food and gathering the rest to fill out their diet. The few other races they get along with are going to be treated as family, with open access to food and shelter.